Recording with the Lowest Possible Latency in REAPER

[@FieroGTXX]

Latency is so low I caught video within seconds of the premier. Haven't even watched it but I know Kenny's gonna drop a bomb 🔥

[@NeuStarProductions]

That’s good right thuur😅

[@tusharjamwal]

For this to work the setting "Do not process muted tracks" should be checked. You can find this in Preferences -> Audio -> Mute/Solo -> Mute Settings

[@REAPERMania]

Correct. I didn't mention that because it is on by default.

[@djabthrash]

I put it in a "custom recording options" toolbar so that i remind myself it matters.

[@JustinAdams_music]

I had no idea that muting a track removed the cpu burden of its effects. Awesome tip.

[@mabian69]

It's actually optional because in some cases when you have this set muting and unmuting can cause unpleasant noises due to sudden activation of several plugins

[@RanulfoKnox]

Your videos just make Reaper the best DAW to work with. You can’t find content of this quality in other daws, and this is the one i recommend to new producers because these resources are great for new and experimented ones 😊

[@jlmjloi4533]

Agreed😊

[@robhouse1926]

Great job Kenny!

[@DavidMacKinnon-b8b]

I agree. Kenny is a super whiz producer with a tremendous amount of musical talent and is a great communicator. It’s rare to find that. Great photography as well. Great left hook as well lol

[@DavidMacKinnon-b8b]

Hi Kenny I’m starting to see the value of more than one instrument. Is some of the additional tracks just another mic? Should I have the guitar recorded twice or should I have an extra mic in a slightly different position?

[@domhatch]

Neato! Oh the simplicity, the sheer simplicity! Another great Reaper trick broken down into its pros and cons as only you can, Kenny. Keep up the excellence! 🎉

[@dennisray2821]

Because of your videos I will be purchasing Reaper. Thank you.

[@QBtracksandstuff]

Kenny, how you haven't got a million subs is beyond me. Your knowledge of this DAW has no bounds. Thanks you so much 👍😁

[@REAPERMania]

We'll get there. LOL. Thanks.

[@rexduranzelandony]

Great workaround. This channel is gold

[@mutilatorbcb]

Thank you as always Kenny!

[@derrick_martin_g.]

This is great insight from Master Kenny as usual. For Windows users, such as myself, adjusting some settings in Windows can greatly decrease latency and glitches. A great tool for analyzation is LatencyMon.

[@00varietyshowjoe]

What type of Windows settings do you adjust to decrease latency?

[@JonHarris77]

I prefer just freezing the individual tracks, or at least the most CPU intensive ones. That way you still have full control over the mix and no need to create/delete folders, move tracks, mute/unmute, etc. Then just unfreeze when you're done and you can edit, adjust FX, etc. Fast and easy. You don't get the benefit of playing back just 1 track or a few stems, but it's usually the CPU that kills you, not reading the audio from disk.

[@REAPERMania]

Yes. Many different ways to accomplish this same thing.

[@davemguru12]

Brilliant - as always.

[@joeheukerott9186]

Brilliant! So smart and so useful! Thank you very much. 🎧🎤

[@jonmatthews4254]

Great idea again Kenny.

[@pedrod.7576]

This is tremendously useful

[@AndyCampbellMusic]

Bottomless pit of knowledge is our Kenny

[@bjorn_moren]

I'm very thankful that you make these videos Kenny. Long time musician here, now trying to become better at recording.

[@Xylume]

Thanks for reminding me to change my buffer size/block size back to 1024. I was experiencing glitching, pops, crackles and more.

[@n.oneimportant5]

Thanks as always, Kenny!

[@samaitcheson7057]

Great tip Kenny. I'll be using this. Thanks!

[@ulfsvensson9710]

That is one of your most useful tips! And that says alot!!

[@markievalk]

You are awesome, i was going crazy trying to figure it out, but it is good now. THANK YOU!

[@southsideronnie]

More great advice! Thanks yet again Kenny!!

[@revp01]

Kenny! Awesome tip! You are a blessing to the reaper community always!

[@Hocus_Tokus]

I came naturally to this kind of workflow. I now have main projects with all busses as subprojects. I regularly print stems in the main project and use them as refrence tracks in each bus subprojects (where i record individual tracks of each group).

[@martindl9897]

Kenny, your knowledge is invaluable. Thanks for sharing it!

[@gitarrenpost]

Simple and efficient. Great. Thank you.

[@3fingerjim]

Excellent as always! Tyvm!

[@kellypeterson2625]

Kenny rules reaper! Thanks Kenny!!? Extremely useful video!

[@musicmaestrodj]

How do you pull up the performance meter? Thanks 🙏

[@petealba707]

I had some latency issues when I was using the 32 bit version but adjusted as you did with better results though I'd get an occasional pop. Since switching to 64 bit I've had zero latency issues and no pops.

[@lavryk]

Great tutorial! Especially what to do after deleting the reference track!

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

they need to be deleted from the disk afterwards

[@Nava4Gamingz]

This is gold.

[@BeastmodeBeats]

Great tips,using frozen busses helps to add more sounds when building a beat

[@thePunkRockMix]

killer - thanks kenny!!

[@jlmjloi4533]

I'm using i5-12600K with ES9068AS DAC on Reaper, it can handle the lowest 16 block size, 2.6ms RTL without click/pop on Keyscape or Pianoteq (Piano VST), a single-track recording.

[@joshmcdzz6925]

what? I got same config and mine can't . How did you do it?

[@davereichert]

@@joshmcdzz6925Disable core parking and frequency scaling in Windows and it'll help. Then reduce the amount of tracks that have a PDC value other than 0. Some plugins like compressors/limiters are really bad with this.

[@dannysparrow]

Thanks so much, this is going to come in handy!

[@PateFamily_Sunny]

Very good work

[@rafalvarezsevilla]

also its not always necesary to freeze all tracks, just look in the performance meter, which tracks are cousing most of the load, and you can only freeze those tracks in place without changing any routing

[@Ozarkey]

You are the best!

[@andreasfranzmann9634]

OR you have a computer that is able to keep up with high track counts in low latency settings. Just like Kenny who has to put the glitches in visually and with samples because his computer is so strong. 😂 Great video as always Kenny, highly appreciated!

[@REAPERMania]

I actually was able to make my computer glitch (actually set it to 16 samples) but I thought this looked better.

[@Sunomusikai]

please how do you change chord minor to major midi with one click?

[@martinwarhurst8692]

Great tutorial as ever but wondered if you could help me in that I use Reaper with VSTs and currently have analogue lab v which I want to use on separate tracks. Separate sounds etc. I can get it on one with no problem but on a 2nd is escaping me. I must be doing something wrong????

[@jaballesterosvideospractic903]

Hola Kenny, ésta vez no se generaron los subtitulos. Sabes por que ocurrió? Muchas gracias por tu trabajo

[@jcleivaamoros]

AWESOME, THANK YOU

[@richardmiklos466]

I just started working in Reaper and I'm wondering if it is possible, when I create a copy of an audio track, to make a copy that is completely separate from the original track. I made a copy of a track, took it into an audio program to tweak it and raise the pitch an octave and when it came back in both that track and the original were changed. It would be great to have the option of holding down control AND another key, to make a new SEPARATE copy of the original. THANKS Rick BTW, if this option already exists, please put a link to a video on how to do it in the reply. thanks. BTW: I LOVE all the control that I'm seeing with Reaper!! NOW, I just have to learn it.

[@REAPERMania]

It should already be separate. Are you possibly selecting both tracks after you duplicate them?

[@eegoal]

Every time I consider switching to another daw Kenny: Where do you think you're going; Come here, you're not going anywhere!

[@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013]

What are "another daw"s? ahahaha. just messing. i don't pay it no mind anymore since using Reaper.

[@eegoal]

@@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013 hahaha

[@themayor3263]

Love your vids they have helped me greatly keep it up Kenny!!!!.... Quick questions I am a novice but how do I stop reverb and delay from continuing on after I stop track???. Im using all stock plugins from reaper... Thank you

[@tam_ryan1036]

On the verge of switching from Studio One to Reaper. Bit scared but this is good to know. Thanks so much Kenny! Btw is this track finished and available online? I love it! 😊👍

[@teashea1]

excellent video - as always ---- However, I prefer to use direct monitoring - The singers I deal with do not mind recording dry.

[@Shineequlity]

Yesterday i tested performance meter for the first time after i saw the previous video. But RT xruns and media xruns just remain as 0 even tho i heard lots of buffer click noises... and yellow flash has never showned.. why it doesnt work on my computer?

[@cgsmithinnola]

Are there any benefits to using 1024 over 2048? I've always just used 2048 when mixing.

[@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013]

Changes will be more instant. EQing can feel "laggy" for instance if the buffer is too high. It isn't neccessarily unworkable, just potentially annoying.

[@Taffafilms]

Do you always record at 48khz? Does the latency reduces if you record at 44.1khz?

[@REAPERMania]

i believe the latency is smaller the higher you go up. I used to always use 44.1KHz when CDs were used but now most people don't so 48kHz is a pretty good standard.

[@Taffafilms]

@@REAPERMania Great info Kenny. It's weird that the latency is decreases as you go up, I would have guessed the other way around! I will now switch from 44.1KHz to 48kHz, coz if it's good for Kenny it's good for me! Thanks a bunch!

Great Video!!

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Another genius post, thanks again. Out of curiosity, on the melodic guitars, do you fade them in ad out? Do you have a custom shortcut for the performance meter?

[@REAPERMania]

The performance meter already has a keyboard shortcut by default. Alt + Control on PC and Option + Command on Mac.

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

@@REAPERMania cheers matey

[@REAPERMania]

@@chrisdaviesguitar What did you mean by fade them in and out?

[@TazzSmk]

moving folders and messing with routing isn't actually a good idea, in fact, in the mixing process it's very desirable to have those folder busses for instruments/groups, also often such stems are delivered for stem (re)mastering so it's always smart to keep those (also keep those in case of no longer having access to plugins used in project for ex.), - more elegant and versatile way is to simply mute and hide source tracks (View - Track manager), and to save time re-rendering when working with multiple musicians, it's possible to select and mute (Alt+M) those rendered/frozen items in folder tracks

[@djabthrash]

- the stems you rendered/used during tracking are not the same than those you send to mastering, because the ones you send to mastering you send them once you're done mixing. At this stage the stems would sound nowhere near as they would sound during tracking. - the folders, used in the way shown in the video, allow you to quickly render stems for each instrument and have one track as a volume (just like a subgroup or a DCA) for this instrument for the tracking mix. There might be an even better way but this is very clever and efficient already imo - i agree hiding tracks i very good, but here he uses the stereo stem tracks to adjust the mix balance for tracking so he needs to see them. Also : it'as also good to see the source tracks, even if they are frozen/rendered and muted, because their waveform help you seeing where you are in the session

[@MrOuttty]

I have recently begun to have latency issues but only with certain effects ( Rea-verb & Rea-pitch ) . I am unable to log in to the forum and wondered if you can help ?

[@ВиталийДомогацкий-д8ф]

Good advice

[@nicholasgonzales7521]

Hi Kenny I have a specific question involving reverb attached to plugins. I know this isn’t about reverb. But I am seriously struggling to find answers about this! I have a plugin that functions completely normal outside of reaper but when loaded into reaper it has a ton of reverb that cannot be removed. What is happening!!?? Please help me pleeeeease!!

[@mentalprogram5256]

This is great i find singing in tune with headohone on really requires low latency. This is super helpful. I wish there was a way to automate this. Tracking mode / Mixing mode.

[@djabthrash]

You can add buttons in your toolbar so you have these settings real close. you can also create templates or even portable installs (which is what Kenny does) with their own settings for each type of session you do : recording, editing, mixing, ...

[@mentalprogram5256]

@@djabthrash none of this really works. I would prefer to track at 48 and mix at 96 but I dont feel like using two sessions.

[@adrienteixeira5590]

I always wondered why reaper doesn't have set block sizes. Like a drop down with 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, and 1024 etc. is there a benefit to having different block sizes? Like I don't, 55? Also, is there an easier way to change block size than having to go to the preferences?

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

i could be wrong but it's likely that if you use a value which is not a power of 2 internally it'll still be rounded down to the closest power of 2 what i don't know is why this should be so there's a script to change the block size via menu, forum reference t=264010, it's showcased in this video v=6BKgBBSe2Q0 where you can find Kenny in the comments

[@REAPERMania]

That's a good question. I'll ask and get back to you. Thanks.

[@REAPERMania]

From the man - Some devices have odd block size preferences - there’s no real benefit to powers of two anyway

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

@@REAPERMania but it looks cool and meaningful odd in a sense of weird or not even?

[@adrienteixeira5590]

@@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP thanks for pointing out the menu block size, that's amazing - the reaper community is just the best

[@EyesOfEgypt]

Thank you so much for this!!

[@MOROZOVVADIM]

Кенни, ты лучший!:)

[@GlassKraken]

Is there an advantage to Reaper monitoring if I already have a DAC with built-in monitoring?

[@Bluelagoonstudios]

Hi Kenny, I have a hard one for you, if you have many presets in a plugin, how can you sort them? Even in the Forum, they can't answer that one? When I was new to Reaper, I used this technique, to create some headphone buses, the project was almost done, I deleted the parent tracks and bye bye project, and with trying to get it right, I did more damage. So I'm very careful with creating extra buses. Sometimes you learn it the hard way. 😁

[@djabthrash]

"Sort them" as in "reorder them" ? If so, just open the FX window and drag and drop them to reorder them. You can also do this in the mixer view (drag and drop them).

[@Bluelagoonstudios]

@@djabthrash I'm not talking about the plugins, but the presets into the plugin. They can't be moved any way. I wish you can sort them, and I'm talking about Cockos and native plugins.

[@djabthrash]

@@Bluelagoonstudios Sorry i missed the "preset" work in your OP :) You can reorder FX presets actually : click on the "+" button at the right of the preset drop down menu and use "move up" and "move down". EDIT : not sure why you would need FX preset reordering that much... Do you use tons of fx presets ? Maybe you should just save the FX as an fx chain and reload that, instead of a preset inside the fx plugin.

[@damienro0]

What if you have the opossite problem? when you record it-s not late but actually ahead of time? how do you fix that

[@DavidMacKinnon-b8b]

Can anyone tell me if fxs are applied individually to the tracks or applied as a group?

[@REAPERMania]

Which FX?

[@slangking1]

I'd never have thought that track mute actually bypasses cpu use for FX (as it were)..

[@evanleyi]

I want to monitor the delay parameters in real time, so how do I call out the Performance Meter at 3:27 seconds in Windows?

[@bcain5823]

Been having an issue lately with popping and cracking getting recorded on a track. Don't notice it when we're doing the actual recording but it's there on playback. Hard to determine if this is a buffer, cpu, or something else. I run Windows 10, Dell Inspiron 15, i7 core with 4 cores, 16G RAM, SSL2 audio interface with buffer set to 512. The Performance Meter shows nothing. Any ideas on what to look for?

[@thebeardedkozak]

Great video! How about if I'm recording drums while listening to 1 reference track but that reference track audio drops out here and there? Would that still go back to buffer size?

[@5puchacz]

Is it possible to hear somewhere full song that is used here as an example?

[@sirdrakey]

This is one way to skin the cat! I would have sent the singer a separate monitor mix after mixing down the steams into groups.

[@dfgvjnkjdsnbkjsbdvjkhdsb]

hello Kenny! how to quantize midi item with shortcut key (example: select item - press Q) without opening midi editor?

[@nickchitipat3155]

I heard something clicking idk how to explain when i do high note on vocal? “ i turn on the fx” can u please help

[@ShreddierThings]

Could someone help me? I'm trying to edit videos in reaper and the video lags. After I render it, it get all pixelated. I shot the video in 4k 30fps. I have done other videos but used 1080 60fps and didn't have any issues.

[@REAPERMania]

Did you turn off Hi Res waveforms for the video items?

[@ShreddierThings]

@REAPERMania I did. Just finished downloading an ffmpeg build and I think I got it working properly

[@ShreddierThings]

Ok I ran into another problem and hopefully you have a solution haha. I'm trying to render video with audio using video (ffmpeg/libav encoder) QT/MOV/MP4, H.246. I can't render using AAC or mp3 audio, I keep get the error code "the target drive/path does not exist, or is in use" error initializing audio encoder, output file-no output. I can render with 24 bit audio but that won't work with instagram. Any ideas? Using reaper v6.81. Thanks!

[@TheCure2024]

Hi, I installed a new reaper in my laptop, and I encountered latency. I tried to adjust the buffer/ sample and also installed the ASIOALL driver, then adjusted output and input manual offset. Still encountered the same issues.

[@braunhausmedia]

GREAT video. What color scheme do you use for your tracks, because I love those muted pastels.

[@monty5066]

Dude. Lurleen Lumpkin. Best. Cameo. Ever.

[@samivuori6669]

These clips are really awesome! Now I have to open Reaper, take a guitar, bass or synths, And keep on working.

[@MrBusiness-vc7bs]

Hope you tell me how I can learn the basics of Reaper software then learn reaper for voice over I'm new to reaper world so hope you answer my questions

[@TomHeavybeats]

Your Master track has a PDC of 538, how is that not adding 538 samples of latency, which would be too much? I'm confused now

[@oswsouza]

Sorry, não sei se é com você, mas nesse seu vídeo não está disponível a legenda. Sou do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, e não entendo seu idioma. Te acompanho e aprendo muito com você. Muito obrigado pelo seus vídeos. Grande abraço.

[@oswsouza]

Obrigado sua atenção...

[@psyzmech9044]

Hi Kenny, love your videos, please can you explain how I can automate pitch bend from my vsts instruments that have no pitch wheel. Thanks

[@artysanmobile]

I’m a Pro Tools user of 25 years. I’ve had a lot of time to wonder how DAWs without a DSP option even manage to survive. This is a good emergency workaround, but nothing more. Tracks get added in a near constant flow throughout the production process. Can you imagine re-freezing every few minutes as the need arises over and over and over etc….? Looking at the market, I’ve still never seen any DAW take advantage of the DSP capability of another DAW. Does anyone know actual $ numbers to explain why this is so? It’s hard to believe no one has ever asked this question.

[@Zerroth]

The audio settings for me within Audio -> Device is very different to what is displayed in this video.

[@slcustomcarpentry853]

Do you have a tutorial on reaper and obs? I am having amazing results with reaper, I'm able to get my reaper to obs, but I'm getting weird phase and fluctuations through OBS. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Your videos are amazing. Thanks in advance

[@ThomasECahill]

Brilliant simple.

[@FloofyOneTorpheus]

Okay so how do you bring up that preference meter?

[@unleashthefury111]

Wouldn't it be easier just to slide the track over after recording to match with the timing?

[@REAPERMania]

How are you going to perform to it though?

[@unleashthefury111]

@@REAPERMania not sure how to answer that. I perform to everything else, without it. Just perform to a click

[@jlmjloi4533]

You can do that only if you're not monitoring yourself. Without self-monitoring, it is difficult to pitch correct for vocal.

[@bartoliblue]

I know how to send the whole mix to a ref track, but I don't understand how to send drums, guitars, etc, to their respective ref tracks. Can anyone help?

[@synthesaurus]

logic has a button that let s me deal with this fast and easy.

[@davidanderton2437]

Any reason not to increase sample rate ?

[@roryreagan975]

Kenny, always love your videos and they teach so much. Thanks. I am travelling atm and wanting to create on the go so I grabbed my wireless headphones... it turned out that it was creating the lag. I guess that makes sense as I was sitting back and thinking about it but luckily I brought some basic earbuds that plug in. Anyone else come across this? Or maybe its the unwritten rule about using midi, don't use wireless things...

[@djabthrash]

The problem is not midi, it is the wireless... You have to know the latency of your wireless system (ex : bluetooth might have too much latency to be usable) to see if it works for you.

[@zacalakemusic]

Couldn’t you get the same result by just moving the stems the amount of the offset? Record to the stems, and play back to the tracks. Same result, less steps.

[@REAPERMania]

Not following.

[@zacalakemusic]

I’m sorry, let me try again. And hey, I was 70 when I started using REAPER, and I’m a couple of years in, so I may be off my a mile. You’ve been my main teacher, so I’ll not be surprised if what follows turns out to be wrong, but here goes; Here’s a way to record with zero latency, no matter how humble your system. Let’s make the example singing a vocal. Mix the tracks to suit the singer. Render. Copy. Mute the original tracks. Move the first copy back in time the amount of latency, let’s say 256 samples. This is the track the singer will sing against. The second copy is the track for playback. All you do is switch and mute these tracks, and you’ve eliminated latency. Am I way off here? Thank you for everything you do, sir.

[@raycochrane3971]

Is there no way the master/stereo bus can record to a new track with the minute latency that creates being adjusted?

[@frankpratte8358]

If I understand your question... Reaper has latency compensation and Kenny did a Reaper Mania video on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fovGiY1voKp9mLs

[@raycochrane3971]

@@frankpratte8358 close I think...Instead of creating the folder etc. etc. I'd like to "render" the mix to a single track within the project, solo that and do the vocal tracking with that as the backing with no phase issues due to the latency possibly caused by rendering into the track. Too hard? Too silly?

[@frankpratte8358]

@@raycochrane3971 In the Render to file window the 5th button near the bottom is "Add rendered items to new tracks in project". I just tried it and there was no latency and no phase issues between the rendered track and the project, (I did it with just one track in the project so I could easily line up the "dots" as Kenny did in his video). As you wrote, this would be another way of accomplishing what Kenny did in his video. I'm not sure soloing the rendered track would turn off all the processing of the fx in the other tracks, maybe you would need to mute all the other tracks instead. Easy enough to do an experiment. Another note, when you rendered the project, any fx in the master channel would be printed on the rendered track. You wouldn't want that track to run back through those effects a second time. In the routing window of the rendered track turn off the Master send button and add an output in the Audio Hardware Outputs drop down window. Or, you could just turn off the fx in the master channel when playing the rendered track.

[@raycochrane3971]

@@frankpratte8358 BRILLIANT - thank you. Reaper has a treasure trove of untried, unread, unknown facets for me. PHANQUE.

[@nugznmugz]

Lurlene! Nice.

[@leonordmann]

That's exactly how I did it recording some guitar to already mixed drums.

[@danieltv123]

Can't you simply freeze all tracks and then Unfreeze them after recording?

[@midiman5045]

Nice way to get around a slow USB interface.I think the easiest way is just to get a Fire wire or Thunderbolt interface.I got a Presonus 2626 it's really great at latency. Seriously very low latency. The higher I go in sample rate the lower the latency. It's like .7 round trip at 192 128 buffer. Could you script that trick you have? This info was not to scold anyone just to give honest feedback about Thunderbolt interface.

[@brentharmonmusicproduction]

You still get latency with Thunderbolt

[@electricwhiterabbit]

The latency on USB RME cards is lower than Thunderbolt. The issue isn't USB, the issue is the drivers. USB has plenty enough throughput for audio.

[@midiman5045]

@@electricwhiterabbit no way try 192 / 128 you will not get .7 round trip. My old pro 40 was better at latency than USB.Yes that is .7 not 7. You are incorrect the issue with USB is the crc check sum that is transmitted with the audio signal. That is why FW was faster than USB because there was not over load on the data buss with other data. Please do you research. Yes in theory it should be faster but in reality that is another story.

[@midiman5045]

@@brentharmonmusicproduction If you call..7 at 192 / 128 is latency I can live with it.

[@electricwhiterabbit]

@@midiman5045 Huh? 192? Who records at that high of a sample rate?I record at 48. BTW, I did my research. Also Firewire is no more. It is USB or Thunderbolt unless you go into Dante or stuff like that which is more for pro studios. Check out the specs of RME USB interfaces. The latency is some of the best out there.